Easy chair or the like convertible into couch, divan, bed, or the like



Jan. 4, 1938. s. MOLNAR 2,104,666

EASY CHAIR OR THE LIKE CONVERTIBLE INTO COUCH, DIVAN, BED OR- THE LIKEFiled May '1, 1936 Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES EASY CHAIR OR THELIKE CONVERTIBLE INTO COUCH, DIVAN, BED, OR THE LIKE Sandor Molnar,Budapest, Hungary Application May 1, 1936, Serial No. '17,440 In HungaryMarch 8, 1936 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in easy chairs or the likewhich are convertible tion of the chair or the like.

into couches, divans, beds or similar pieces of furniture.

The present invention consists in an easy-chair or the likecharacterized by the fact that it is so built out of tubes, for instanceout of steel tubes, that it may be opened in a simple way and whenopened serves as a couch, divan, bed or the like.

For this purpose according to the present invention the sectionsconnecting the base sections of a bent tubular frame with the arm-restsof the easy chair or the like are so articulated as to permit thearm-rests together with the back rest to be folded forwards. When thisis done,

the free ends of the arm-rests then rest on the floor and the arm restsserve as legs to support the head portion of the couch, divan or thelike.

To the base-frame of the easy-chair or the like are fastened the seatpart of the chair and a foot-rest which is used only in the open posi-The other part of the frame-structure holds the back-support and thearm-rests, the latter as aforesaid serving to support the head part ofthe couch or the like on the floor when the furniture is opened.

The beforementioned two parts of the chair structure, are so jointedtogether according to the present invention that they may be extended byunfolding in one direction only, and closed by folding in the oppositedirection to contact stop shoulders which render superfluous anyadditional means to hold the back-support in its turned up position.

From the base frame, the seat part extends forward freely. This seatpart and the base frame are made out of a single tube suitably bent forthe purpose wherebythe forwardly extending seat part is made comfortablyelastic.

The tubular structure forms a folding frame.

The back of the easy-chair or the like may be manufactured out of aseparate frame which may be fastened to the arm-rest holding part. Thislatter way of manufacturing permits the use of lighter and thinnertubing for the frame of the back-support. This separate frame has thefurther advantage that this part can be made out of a different materialas the other parts of the frame structure, for instance, out of hardwood which may be concealed under the upholstering.

A constructional example of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an easy chair, the upholstering beingpartially removed to expose the constructional details.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the chair when converted into a couch or thelike.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the couch or the like.

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively longitudinal sectional and plan views ofthe joint between the arm. rest sections and the base sections.

Figs. 6 and 7 show side views of the holding arrangement of thefoot-rest in two different positions; and Fig. 8 is a view, partially invertical section, of Fig. 6.

As shown by the drawing, the structure of the easy chair, thereillustrated by way of example, consists of a base frame I, a portion ofwhich is bent back upon itself, to form seat holding frame 2; and a backrest 3. The back rest 3 is made out of a separate frame, which isrigidly connected to the arm rest 5 by means of a steel angle i5, whichextends horizontally across the back rest 3. The ends of the angle l5extend slightly beyond the sides of the back rest and thereby provideseats to which the tethered ends of the arm rests are rigidly secured inany suitable manner. The free ends of the arm rests are connected in anysuitable manner to the ends of arm rest supporting arches 6, whichlatter extend rearwardly and downwardly beneath the rests 5 to passbehind the back rest 3. From this point, the supporting arches 6 extendforwardly and downwardly to terminate substantially beneath the freeends of the arm rests 5. The ends of the-arches 6 are here pivotallyconnected as at l, to upwardly and rearwardly curved forward ends of thebase frame I. Both joints'l are so shouldered or otherwise so fashionedas to make only the forward folding of the back rest 3 possible and toprevent any backward folding thereof. Therefore the provision of anyspecial supporting means for the back rest is superfluous.

For this purpose the jointing may be carried out as follows: The tubeends at the joints 1 are cut as shown at complementary oblique anglesand into one tube a cylindrical block l6 having a flat extension I1 isinserted. Into the other tube a forked block i8 is inserted and isconnected by a pivot pin 1 with the block it. The tube on the right sidehas above the fork a slot I9 to receive the flat extension I! when thejoint is actuated.

The foot rest 8 is fastened to the structure of the easy chair in afoldable manner by means of pegs 9 fitted into slots 20 of plates i0fixed to the foot rest 8. The peg 9 is borne by a plate '2l fastened tothe tube l. The foot rest 8 in the open position of the structure issupported by the engagement with a tie-rod H of extensions 22 of theplates l0.

For converting the easy chair or the like into a couch or the like, theback rest 3 is turned forwards over the seat around the joint 1. Theturned down back rest is supported bythe arm rests 5 and the arch 6. Itis advantageous to have the distance between the joint I and the loweredge of the foot rest about the same as the length of the arm rest.Besides this an optimum arrangement of the joints is one so determinedas to cause the lower edge of the upholstering of the backrest, after itis turned down, to fit as close to -the'.front edge of the seat aspossible with little o'rno gap therebetween.

The pegs 9 holding the foot rest 8 to the frame structure 2 have anoblong shaped cross-section.

The pegs 9 slide in the slots 20 of the plates l0 fastened to the footrest 8. The pegs 9 together with the slots in the plates l0 hold theturned up foot rest parallel with the back rest 3. The slots in theplates Ill have a key-hole enlargement 23, which enables the foot restafter being raised a little, to be folded downwards. In the turned downposition of the foot rest the extensions 22 of the plates Ill abutagainst the' tie-rod II.

The easy chair or the like according to the present invention may beprovided either with upholstering, or instead of that, with strapping.In'the constructional form shown cushioned upholstery is provided. Inthis case it is expedient to cushion the back rest on both sides, as itsone side serves as a back rest while its other serves as a recliningsurface, according as the furniture is used as an easy chair or the likeor a couch or the like.

The upholstering of the seat may be a cushion which can be lifted out ofthe frame and which rests partly on diagonal strips l3, and partly onthe tie-rod II.

It is very easy to convert the herein described easy chair or the liketo a couch or the like and the conversion requires a very littlepersonal exertion. To do so, the back rest 3, together with the armrests 5 and arches 6 are swung forwardly on the joints 'i until the freeends of the arm rests and arches engage the floor. Then, the foot rest 8is let down to complete the conversion from a sitting to a recliningarticle of furniture.

What I claim is:

1. An easy chair or the like convertible into a couch or the like, saidchair including atubular base frame, portions of said frame being formedto rest fiat upon'a supporting surface, rear portions of said firstportions being upwardly and. forwardly bent to provide a seat supportingportion, a back rest having forwardly extending arm rests rigidlysecured thereto, arched tubular members rigidly attached to the forwardends of said arm rests, pivotal connections between said last namedtubular members and the for-' ward ends .of said first named frameportions whereby-to permit said back rest, arm rests and arch'ed membersto be swung forwardly to. bring the forward ends of said arm rests intocontact with the supporting surface and to position said back restforwardly of and in substantially the same plane as said seat, a footrest forming member carried by said seat supporting portion of saidframe rearwardly of said back rest, said foot rest being normallypositioned vertically along the rear of said back rest but being adaptedto be let down into the plane of said seat when said back rest is swungforwardly, and means for maintaining said foot rest in the last namedposition.

2. An easy chair convertible into a couch or the like comprising atubular frame, said frame being bent to provide means for supporting aseat cushion above a floor, a back rest having an arm rest rigidlysecured thereto at either side thereof, back rest supporting memberscomprising a pair of arched tubular members rigidly secured to theforward ends of said arm rests, ends of said arched members beingpivotally secured to portions of said frame member whereby to supportsaid back rest, said pivotal connection permitting said back rest to beswung forwardlyonly over said seat until the forward ends of said armrests contact said floor and said back rest is positioned insubstantially the same 'plane'as said seat, whereby to form a head restfor a couch or the like, and a foot rest forming member carried by saidframe rearwardly of said back rest and adapted to be moved to foot restforming position when said back rest has been swung forwardly asaforesaid.

3. An easy chair ,or the like convertible into a couch or the likecomprising a seat supporting frame, a back rest, anda foot rest formingportion, 'said back rest having arm rests rigidly secured thereto, saidback rest having a one way pivotal connection with said frame whereby topermit said back rest to be swung over and in front of said seat to besupported on the fioor by the ends of said arm rest in substantially thesame plane as said seat, and said foot rest form ing portion normallybeing carried by said frame rearwardly of said back rest in a verticalposition but being adapted to be swung into foot rest forming positionwhen said back rest has been swung forwardly as aforesaid.

4. A chair having a seat and a seat supporting frame, a back rest havinga pivotal connection with a portion of said frame whereby to permit theswinging of said back rest over and forwardly of said frame, means forsupporting said back rest in the same plane as said seat, and'a restforming member normally carriedby said frame in a verticalpositionbehind said back rest, said last named member being swingableinto the same plane as said seat.

5. A chair having a seat and a seat supporting frame, a back restcarried by portions of said frame in back rest defining position, a restforming member carried by said frame rearwardly of and flush against,said back rest when the latter is in the back rest defining position,said back rest being swingable in a forward direction to provide aforward extension of said seat, said rest forming member being swingabledownwardly and rearwardly to form a rearward extension of said seat, andseparate means for supporting both said back rest and said restformingmember in the extension forming positions. Y

sinnoamonria."

